Telephone registering system.



E. E. CLEMENT.

TELEPHONE REGISTERING SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1905. RENEWED APE. 1'7 1012. 1 1 Wfi 1 mg Patented Aug. 11, 1914.

s SHEETSBHEBT 1.

Witnesses E. E. GLEMENIZ TELEPHONE REGISTERING SYSTEM. APPLIUATION FILED FEB. 23. 1905. RENEWED-APR. 17, :1912.

Patented Aug. 11, 1914 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Q ln vz'ntoc Witnesses E. E. ELEMENT.

TELEPHONE REGISTERING SYSTEM. APPLIUATIONQEILED 113.23. 1905.. RENEWED M1117, 1912.

I Patented Aug; 11,1914

3 SHEETSBHEET 3 Q/Vi tn eases rate or metering system of charging for mated with sufficient'accuracy for pnactical purposes. These and similar items being these. Including dead head calls, calls where the line wanted is busy, and those 01? NEW YORK.

aromas.

N Swiss OFF QE- nnwann n. CLEMENT, or WASHINGTON, msrnrer or coLuMBIA', AssIeNon TO THE- a'nLnPnoNE rnrnovnmnnr QOMPANY,

, 'rELnrHonn REGISTERING sirsrnm;

Specification of Iietters Patent. I Patented Aug, 11', 1914 ATTICA, NEW YQRK, -A oqnronarron 4 Application filed February a, 905, Serial N;,.-247,e Renewed April 17, 1912. Serial No. 691,500. l d

To all whom it may concern L Be it knownthat I, EDWARD E. CLEMENT, citizen of the United States, residin at. lt ashin'gton, inthe District of Colum. ia, have invented certain new and useful-1m provements in Telephone Registering 'Sys-} tems, of which the following is a specificae tion, reference being had ,therein to. the ac-x companying drawing. 1 My; invention relates to telephone systems, and particularly to means for regis tering messages and their duration. I

In registering systems heretofore em: ployedit'ha'sbeen usual to count the num ber otmessages only, and this has been effected in a variety of ways, employing both mechanical and electrical means.

While it is true that a so-oalled message telephone service is a long step inadvance of'the older flat rate methods, it still leaves much to 'be desired for the following reasons: Given a certain investmentin an exchange equipment, it is easy to calculate the total amount to be annually charged as expense. Interest, operation, and maintenance are determinable without difficulty, and the annual depreciation may be approxiadded, the first difliculty is encounter-ed when it is desired to divide theiotal charges, plus whatever profits or'net earnings are assumed, so that the subscribers will get an equitable rate, whichshall be proportional in all cases to the amount of service rendered and the use of the equipment. At first sight it would appear that the number of connections called for and completed by each subscriber would afford a read means of distributing the total charge; ut upon reflection it is found this is not so. .In the first place, 'many calls are made which do not result in complete connections. Under the message rate system no charge is made for' which are lost from any cause, such uncharged messages may amount in a city ex change to twelve per cent. of the "total. Without considerable trouble and expense, it is impossible to keep track of this loss. In the second place, there is a marked difference in the 1 duration of messages. In residence districts each use of a telephone is usually of longer duration that itwould be in business. The most strikingexmnple of this-may be found in so-called f visiting. lover the telephone, twolines and agswitchjboardcord with a pair of plugs and;their ,concomitant a paratiis being kept busy for an indefinite time during. each visit. On the other hand, in a business district the t mes- [sages are usually very brief, because the lapse oftime. in each message l me'ans a double consumption of I money, the subs,

scriberstime being valuable as well as usable time of the telephone apparatus and exchange equipment.

most exchangemanagers depend upon their operatorsto keep the records of messages received and connectionscompleted. By thus loading additional f'wbrk on the foperators, however, their efliciencyis lcwered and rela-' tively the costofi-their services is increased.

Moreover, as in allcases'wherefthe human element is ,employed therefis liability of error To obviate these'defeetsand objections, mechanical and electrical devices have been suggested which would automatically make the necessaryrecords without calling upon the operators for any additional work.

So faras I know, however, these devices have failed to remove one pr ncipalcause'of objection to the system. By my invention, I aim to remove all the objections stated, and to provide means whereby the total charges may be distributed among the various subscribers in direct proportion to the actual use they have had during any stated period, of the mechanical,

electrical, and human equipment of-the ex change system.

My invention is particularly applicable to common battery exchange systems, but may be used in magneto systems, and in conjunction'with any type of switchboard equip-V ment. In its crudest form, the invention maybe described as a system for metering the current supply to the subscribers lines. Of course in practice it would; not be possible. to do this literally without a great initial expense, because of the various in line resistance, etcQIn practice, therefore,

I modify this idea to the extent of employing local circuits for registering, in which the current flow shall be controlled and proportional to the flow in the correspond, ing lines. Normally these circuits should be open, and for their closing they sliould 110 depend upon two factors, a call by the calling subscriber (or the operators act in. response to the same) and the answer by the wanted subscriber. Provision should also be made for suitably increasing the total charge over that shown for completed connections, so as to include for distribution the cost of lost calls, calls for busy lines, etc. As will appear hereafter, I preferably make this addition automatic, but my method may be practised without any of the specific apparatus set forth. V The simplest form of apparatus for car rying out my invention consists of a small electric motor driving a Veeder or other suitable register, and as it is'supposed to run continuously whenever its line is connected, the register may be graduated to read in time units, in units of current, or in dollars and cents. Instead of these electric motors, a common mechanical motor may be employed, and each line may have its register mounted so as to be properly connected to this motor when its l1ne is in use. Obviously, in the first case, the speed of all the motors can be regulated by chang ing the current; while in the second case, assuming the mechanical motor to. be a driven shaft or the like, the speed at which the registers will run can be varied in toto by simply varying the speed of this shaft.

Suppose every line to be equipped with a motor device after the fashion of the wellknown watt-meters, the monthly readingswill give totals of line-use for the preceding month. Thesum of all the line-uses, however expressed, will be less than the total exchange-use, by reason of the lost and dead-head calls, etc. According to my method, this loss is distributed by raising the voltage or increasing the shaft speed of the registers, so that they will uniformly charge up a total percentage increase over actual line-use sufficient to balance the percentage of exchange-loss. In order to do this it is only necessary to have a common controlling means under control of the manager or other responsible person operating the exchange. The distribution of the increase will automatically take care of itself, and as the percentage of loss for a month would not appear definitely until the end of the month, I have considered that the best and most equitable method of adding and distributing the same would be by correspondingly raising the register speed for the ensuing month. Each month would therefore furnish data for the next months charges, and as the scheme involves not so 'much the sale of messages at so much per hundred as it does the distribution of charges and profits proportionately to use of the lines, the subscriber need only receive 5], one contract rate, at so much per unit or per 100 or 1000 units as indicated by the regisof his actual time-use.

ters. Suppose, for instance, that the registers read in units of time. Assume that a given subscriber has used his line during the monthof January an actual total time of onehour and forty minutes; suppose that the percentage of exchange loss for the month is fifteen, the speed of all the subscribers registers is increased 15 per cent. for February over actual clock time speed, and each subscriber will therefore receive at the end of February a reading charging him with a total time-use equal to 115 per cent.

Obviously, by adjusting this percentage of increase, all necessary items can be cared for, such as profits, surplus, sinking-fund, interest, depreciation, salaries, miscellaneous expense, etc. By the simple scheme I have mentioned all charges are perfectly and uniformly distributed. For obvious reasons, however, it would be better to have the registers read in units of money than in units of time or other absolute units. Several advantages inhere in such an arrangement. The carrying out of extensions by book-keepers, with its attendant errors is avoided and the subscriber knows, if his rate is so much per minute of actua connection, how many minutes he must have had if his bill is for $4.60. I believe that with this improved method of charging it will be possible for the first time, not to cut rates, but to distribute charges to the same end. By fixing a rate of say one cent per minute within a radius of two miles of the exchange, two cents per minute for four miles, and so on, :1 business mans messages would average no more than letter postage. Social visiting and long eonversations generally would be more expensive, as they ought to be.

In its most perfect development, my scheme involves the provision of means whereby connection with different classes of lines will automatically produce different rates of speed in the calling line register. The called line register is never charged for any connection. Again, I provide the operator with means whereby she can determine the rate of a message, that is the speed of a register, by pressing a button or moving a switch handle; Suppose, for instance, that a subscribers operator can give three classes of service, viz., local, toll-board, and long distance. She may set a rheostat in her cord-circuit according to the connection desired, and when the same is completed the speed of the calling line register will be determined accordingly. Better than this, however, is an automatic regulation to which I have referred, and in such case the toll operator or long distance operator would necessarily be provided with speed regulating means to be set in accordance with her various rates.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated one form of apparatus and: one.

arrangement of circuitsw-hereby my invention may be practised. I donot wish inv any to limit myself thereto and thereby but I present thisas the simplest, and for this. first development of the invention the embodiment of which I am at present'aware. A y

Figuresl-and2 arediagrams of exchange systems anglFig'. 3 is a-diagrammatic view f. a tormof tape feeding mechanism-L In Fig. Lastandard common battery system is usedfor illustration. A is aa llbscrih ring p and sleeve p ersistation equipped with apparatus usual in coon battery, systems. Theline from this stationterminates in acentral'oflice at a As the apparatus for allstations at central isj similar, only one station is shown. L sTthe -linerelay havingthe ar- 20 g mature it which icontrols the line lamp -Z. Thisrelay in turn is controlled by the cutofi. relayLi whichalso jointly. controls the register, M. The armaturewind'ing m of the register M is connected to the ring j of the jach J by wire '9. The fieldwindingm is connected to the contact Z? in the cut-off relay L the armature and field m and m" being both connected permanently to battery on the other side, preferably through the common return and the main speed controllingdevice X. I have referred to. The cordzeircuit consists of the answering plug- P andcalling plug P, each'with; ati'p-p, Thetip and ring contacts of the respective plugs are connected by" the cord: conductors 12 13, 1 ll5, broken by condensers Q and C to permit double supervision. Supervisory relay R and controlling relay R are connected from battery to theoppo'site cord conductors 12 and 14; and corresponding relays R and R to the conductors l3 and i5.

the contacts of the cutoff relay- L, andcausing the line lamp 1 to glow. 'The operator perceiving the signal inserts the answering plug B into the jack J. This causes battery 'to flow through the controllin relay IF and the cut-ofi relay .L' in series, by the path 2018-144. The relay L then attracts its armatures, cuts ofi the line relay L, which extinguishes the lamp 1 at the same time it also causes the armature l, which is ounded, to close on contact Z, connected to thefieldm of-the register. M, energizingtelephones it ceased to indicate.

ister proper is preferably made in the form said field m The field m, while energized, does not cause the armature m to revolve, as the circuit of the armature remains to be completed through the contact of. the armatures r and r of the'supervisory relays R and R. The armature of the relay R is attracted when the operator answers the call. The operator then inserting the calling plug P into the jack of the wanted subscriber, calls said subscriber in the usual manner. The insertion of the plug energizes the cutoftrelay which attracts its armature and cuts" oh the line relay of the called line. The armature winding of the register of the called line is connected to the ring 7' of its jack, which is not closed to complete the circuitofthe register as the calling plug P has no third conductor. called subscriber-closes his circuit forbat tery current'through the supervisory relay R, which then attracts its armature 1- and closes the circuit of theicalling register, M.. The armature m" then begins to revolve and indicates until either or both of the subscribers hangs up. The register M is not Upon answering, the

controlled by the operator but automatically by the subscribers and cannot be made to indicate unless both subscribers have their telephonesdown. Supposing at the end of the conversation thecalledsubscriber should hangv up his telephone,,th e armature r of the .relay B would immediately fall back and break :contact which would open: the

circuit of the armature m" of the register M.

If, instead, subscriber A should hang up hisreeeiver first, the armature 1 of the relay. R would break the connection in the same manne'rl' At thegend of the conversation both subscribers hanging up their telephones, the relays R and R become simultaneouslydenergized, and their armatures falling back open the circuit of armaturem and at the same time causethe lamps r and r to glow. The operatornoticing this withdraws the plugs as usual. WVhen the answering-p111 P is withdrawn the armature of the'cut-o relay L is retractedand opens the circuit of the field of the register. The

moment the circuit of the register was broken by the subscribers hanging up their The regwherebyI avoid the necessity for individual registers, and provide only"one register for 'eachi cord circuit or equivalent connective device. Moreover, I avoid the use of any extra apparatus except that connected with'the register itself, and do not complicate the'ordinary cord circuit apparatus. Referring to the drawing, the subscribers station apparatus is the same as in Fig. 1, and the line wires l2 come into the central oflice and terminate on the contacts l -Z of the cut-off relay L, as before. The transmitter T, receiver T, ringer Q, and switch-hook H at station A need no detailed description. When the cut-off L is energized it connects the line Wires 12 to the jack wires 34, and when deenergized connects the line wires to the line relay L and ground as shown. When this cutofi relay is energized it does another thing, however, that is, it connects a means to identify the line calling, which is obviously necessary where there-is not an individual register for each line. In the present case, I have somewhat modified this portion of the apparatus, first because I wish to have the numberwheel connection controlled by the cut-efi' relay, and secondbecause I wish to simplify the jack.

It should be understoodthat while in both the figures herein I have illustrated only one jack for the subscribers line, there may be and preferably will be in practice multiplejacks for each line,-with their test-thimbles connected together for the' usual test purpose. The circuit I have "chosen for the lines and-connecting cords, for purposes of illustration herein, is a standard form of twowire common battery circuit. It will be notedthat-I- have added no relays or their controlling apparatus to either line or cord,

depen'ding entirely upon the usual cut-off 40 and-supervisory relays. Each of these is provided with a special contact, which in practice would be an extra pair of contact springs operated by the regular armature.

In Fig; 2, a common driven shaft m carriesa series of'toothed gears m and with each of these is adapted to mesh a mutilated pinion m attached to a numberwheel m both the wheel and pinion being carried upon a stud mounted on the lower end of a swinging armature m controlled by the electro-magnet m of the individual line identifying device M. This magnetis grounded on one side and on the other is connected by a wire 7 to the contact Z of the armature Z of the cut-off relay L, the circuit of each magnet m being completed to the battery B through wire 6 when the cutoff relay is energized. Each line circuit has extensions 3 and 4c extending from the front contacts of its cut-off relay to the jack springs j and j. The extension 3 of each line, however, before passing to the jack, extends to a spring m of the individual 'device M, normally in contact with a twin spring 7717, and thence to the jack. The

connected to the" bus-wire 21 of the mainv battery B. When the magnet m is energized-it draws over its armature and throws the pinion 122, into engagement with the standard revolving gear. 122;, whereby the pinion and the connected wheel on are turned, and the extension 3 of the line is broken, the jack end being connected ,to and disconnected from the mainfbattery as many times as there are teeth'on the periphery of the wheel. These makes and breaks affect the supervisory relay R, and are recorded thereby, in a manner to be prcse'ntly described. The number is only transmitted and recorded once, by preference, or at least the movement of the wheel on is limited by the mutilation of its pinion, so that after the mutilated portion in turning reaches the closing the line to the jack. Since the pinions m is mutilated, it is normally unbalanced, and when disengaged from'its driving gear m will promptly return to normal position. The size and position of this mutilated portion may be varied at will. I do not wish to limit myself in any wise to this form of device M, as there are many simillar devices which may be substituted and which are within the knowledge of those skilled in the art.

Referring now to the register mechanism for the cord-circuit, this comprises the register motor'M having a field-winding m and an armature m, and a pair of register magnets of the Morse register type, M and M The registration of calls is performed upon a paper tape or similar moving surface. The register M marks upon this tape the number of the line calling, the register M marks the number of the line called, and the motor M feeds the tape continuously as long as both supervisory relays R and R are energized, which is only while the connection he.- tween the lines is completed and both Sill scribers have their telephones o'll the hooks. Suitable pawl and ratchet means, as illustrated in Fig. 3, operated by either register magnet M or M, is provided for feeding the tape independently of the motor M during the recording of the numbers. The arrange inent here illustrated is selected as the simplest embodiment of my idea, for the purposes of this application. The idea itself, however, is capable of a number of embodiments, and is not at all restricted to a mangear-wheel m the wheel m stops, and per- 40 1 the same in Fig. 1, including the answering ual system, being equally applicable to auto- I Cir matic or semi-automatic systems, as will be pointed out. The root of the idea is in this, that it is possible by taking some distinctive portion of a line and some similarly distinctive or characteristic portion of the connective 0111:1111? which are brought into a con 1 jugate relation during connection between lines, and then by connecting register apparatus so as to be jointly controlled by these two portions or elements, to effect a record I of the connection, of the particularly connective apparatus employed therein, and of the particular line or subscriber calling or called. This, in one embodiment, as shown in Fig. 2, or in other embodiments which I shall point out herein, constitutes a step in advance over the simpler scheme in Fig. 1.

Stated briefly, and as to essentials only, Fig. l' p resents only one-half of the complete idea,*in that the line is segregated for purposes of record, but the connective circuit is not. In either case, as I shall show the par ticular type of motor, or the particular type of register, employed, is a matter of indifference, being largely regulated by expediency or economy. Thus, in Fig. 2 I show a mechanically driven shaft m for the numher-wheel indicator M. The motor M or M in either Figs. 1 or 2 may similarly be replaced by a mechanical shaft or other motor driven in any desired manner, but pref-.

erably at a constant speed. This speed regulates'the rate of charging for the service given, and as I have already pointed .out-it i can be changed to raise or lower the rate and thereby cover losses or pro-fits as desired.

' As shown in Fig. 2, the register outfit comprises. the tape 0, and the electric motor M with the registers. The cordcircuit itself is and calling plugs P and P, whose tips and sleeves are respectively connected through cord-conductors 12 13 andl4'-15, each conductively divided but inductively completed bya condenser. The cut-ofl" relay L, of

whine, is in a ground branch from the sleeve side a of the line. In' each cord-circuit controlling relays R and 11" are connected respectively to the sleeve strands 14 and 15 by wires 18 and 19, and in common to the battery. When either plug is inserted in a jack, therefore, its-controlling relay and the cut-off relay of the line Zara-brought into series relation with the battery and are energized, the controlling relay thereupon completing the circuit of its supervisory lamp 1" or 7*, subject to the control of the super- 5 visory relay B or R. These latter relays are in branches 16 and 17 extending from the in affected by the line identifying means and the subscriber only. Each supervisory relay has an armature r or 7", adapted when tip-strands of the cord to ground, and except,

. they are under the'control of the line attracted to connect a... wire 29 or 30 to ound and thence to battery.- The wire 29 as two branches, one of which extends to the register magnet M and thence back to the main battery B, and the other extends to the field-winding m) of the motor M and thence-by wire 800 through the special meter M and one side of the general or common meter M to wire 8, which in turnis connected to the switch-arm of a voltage regulator X, adapted to' sweep over contacts 00, w, m and 00 connectedto different points of the secondary or register-battery B. The

.wire 26 of supervisory relay R is also branched, one part extending through the rheostat 23, whose switch-arm 24 or equivalent operating device is within reach .of the operator, and then as" shown to the armature m of the motor M connected on the other side to wire 80, and thence through the special meter M and one side of the common meter M to the wire 8.

The wires 80 and 800, as well as the regulator X, are supposed to be common to the entire exchange. It will be observed. that whenever a line calls and the call is annections were completed or not. The wire 80, on the other hand, being a common return for'all of the armature circuits of the motors M and'these get-ting current only when the called subscribers supervisory relays R are energized, readings taken off the meter M will give totals proportional to the line-use of all called lines which have answered the calls. These two'meters M and M may have their units arbitrarily selected,

a standard type of watt meter being advan- 'tageously employed. If they are calibratedwith uniformity, the difi'erence between their simultaneous readings will be proportional to the exchange loss. The common meter M", however, registers the result-ant of the two current quantities independently metered by the machines M and M. While the readings of tne latter, therefore, are rela- :t ive only, the readings of the meter M are %in a sense absolute, for if the machine" is properly designed and calibrated, and its unit indications are properly selected, its readings will at all times show the totals of the exchange business. This meter can advantageously be made to read directly in dollars and cents, and by it the exchange manager or the treasurer, or other responsible officer of the operating company can nothing to do With the operation of the .me-. ,ters l M and M or rather this alone doesnot regulate the proportional records. Even the time or duration of connections by itself does not determinethe proportional record. In each armature circuit 26 is included the individual rheostat .X, whereby the operator determines the rate to be charged for a particular message, that is to say the amount of current which shallpass through the register armature during the continuance of that connection.

The normal or minimum flow being through the entire length of the resistance coils 23,v with the arm 24. in the position shown. This position is maintained for all local connections, we will say. For a ten. cent charge the arm 24: is moved up one notch, thereby cutting down the resistance and increasing;-

the current, increasing the speed of the armature m, and increasing the current passing through the meter M For a long-distance call, or a more expensive toll message,

the arm 24 would be pushed up still farther, according to the rate. It should be noted here that these variable quantities are all on the called side, and affect thetotals of meter M only. Line-use of calling lines is at a constant. rate, but ,line-useof called lines isat a rate determined by the character of the line called,vand the final total registration by meter M represents with absolute fidelity the resultant of these three' components: (l) line-use of the calling line; (2) rate predetermined for the called. line; and (3) line-use of'the called line. Moreover, the cord-circuit registers charge up against the calling subscriber the resultant of these three components of each call, accurately and without discrimination.

. With this system therefore, it will be ob- I served that for the first time it is possible to comply absolutely with the equities in adustlng charges. It is possible to determine the total cost for a given period of the ex- .change service, to add to this the amount of profit or net earnings permissible, and then to distribute the total among the subscribers with absolute fidelity in exact proportion to the amount of service rendered each one.

. Assuming that .the meter M is made to read in dollars and cents, andthat the gross earnings for a given month must reach a The current flow during different connections Will thus be different.

certain figure, it is necessary only to adjust the regulator X in order to prevent the actual gross earnings as indicated by the meter from exceeding the desired figure. The regulator not only. holds down the meter M, but also holds down each and every subscribers account proportionally.

Returning to the specific structure of the cord-circuit regulators, the armature m of each register has a shaft indicated diagrammatically at m. This shaft carries a feedroller m between which and a friction roll on the tape is led. The tape is carried upon a spider, and first passes overthc dial block 8 of a time stamp S, then beneath the mark ers m. and m of the registers M and M, overlying their platen m and then to the feed-rolls. The operation of the time stamp is controlled jointly by the two registe magnets. This time stamp is designed to be slow to operate and quick to restore which effect may be accomplished in any well known manneras by the use of a solenoid and dash pot. Vhen a call is answered by the insertion of answering plug P, and after the relay R and magnet M have been intermittently energized to register the calling subscribers number, relay R becomes continuously energized and continuously closes the circuit of magnet M The magnet M now holds down its armature m continuously and completes a relatively long closure of the circuit from battery Z) through the yoke-wire 28 to the solenoid of the time stamp S Whiclnbcing sluggish and responding only to such a relatively long closure of its circuit, now pulls down its armature 8, whose connected foot platen presses the tape down on the dial-block and marks the time on the underside of the tape. magnet M permits this actuation of the timestamp when a call is made only, and at no other time, for after the called subscriber has answered. the armature m is held attracted, and when both subscribers have finally hung up their receivers, both armatures m" and 1773* go back. happen that the called subscriber I should hang up first, a repetition'of the time stamp might result, but this wouldnot be confusing because it would be unaccompanied by a register number, which alone indicates a fresh call.

The length of tape fed through during each connection, by the operation of the motor M is proportional to the duration of theconnection. At the end of a day all tapes should; be taken from the registers and out up, according to the records of calling subscribers. All the pieces of tape bearing the number of the same subscriber should be pasted together, so as to make a continuous tape, and at the end of a month, therefore, or other stated period, each sub- If it should The register scribers-ta e by its lengthalone furnishes a measure 0 his line-use during the month, and by simply running the tape through a measuring device, such as is used for measuring the length-of cable or wire, the charge against the subscriber can be.- determined mechanically.. The indicator through which the tape is run to-measure its length can have its dial graduated directly in: dollars and cents, and by this part of mysmethod all computation and the carrying out of extensions by book-keepers is done away with, with its attendant errors. The amount indicated is printed, either automatically by the registering machine, as' usual in cash registors, or by hand, upon the exposed .end of the tape when rolled up. Each tape being' marked with the name or number of the subscriber, it then becomes mere copyists work to make out the bills.

The simplicity and perfectflexibility of this system will be realized when it is con sidered that the length of the tape, being regulated by the speed and total revolutions of the motor M represents the resultant of the three'component factors I have mening on the typewriter.

tioned in the foregoing. Hence, there is no figuring or' adjusting of any kind, character or description in connection with any SQbSGmlM-EHS' account; and if] any dispute .whatever arises, the original record is available, which gives the following data for each call: the number of the line calling, the number of the line called, the time of the call, the condition of the line called, if busy,

' and the duration of the connection. With all this information, available in detail for reference ifjdesired, and mechanically sum marized for ledger entries and rendition of bills, there are only two operations requiring hand work and some small degree of head work, viz., the chopping up and pasting of the tapes, which is boys' work, and the writing of the hills which is purely copylfhe operation of the apparatus heretofore described is as follows: Referring to Fig. 2,

subscriber A calls, lamp Z lights, plug P is inserted, and relays R and L pull up as before. Circuit for magnet m is completed as follows: battery B, 21, 6, Z, l, 7 m and ground back to battery. This throws the mutilated pinion m against the gear m the number-wheel revolves, and current impulses corresponding to the number ofthe line calling are sent over wires 3 and 12 to the supervisory relay R, which correspondingly makes and breaks the circuit 29 of register magnet M whose first movement in pulling up when the plug is so inserted has stamped the time, and whose subsequent movements print on the breaks the number of the line calling on the'tape. For simplicity, Fig. 2, I have not shown any feed type, having normally wound clock-work of i the register or the motor M then feeding.

the tape according to which is running.

The number'having been printed, the calling line is again completed, and the callingplug P is inserted in the Wanted line-jack; This line having the same apparatus as that shown on the left of Fig. 2, the line number is immediately transmitted back through the cord-strand 13 to the relay R, which causes register magnet M to print the numberof the line called on the tape. After suflicient time has elapsed for the latter reg+ istration, the operator rings the called sub: scriber in the usual manner. During ringing the cord circuit strands 13 and 15 are broken to prevent ringing back, and the cutoil relay held up through the ringing key to prevent the restoration of the called subscribers number wheel. The breaking of the cord strands and the control of the cutoii' relay may be accomplished in any known manner such as in the well known Kellogg common battery cord circuit. In the draw-' ing, the two register magnets M,- M are shown arranged tandem. In practice, the

markingpens would be side by side, and the number of the line called would always be on the opposite edge of the tape-from that of the line calling, or on the opposite side, or otherwise distinguished. The feed roller m is preferably provided with one ridge or tooth which will make recurring marks on the tape as it is fed through, each mark representing one rotation of the. shaft m l and consequently a definite period of time. This is merely for convenience, however, as the length of the tape determines the elapsed time. i

It is to be understood that I do not confine myself to the use of a shunt-wound motor, or indeed to the separate control of the feed and'armature circuits by the supervisory relays. In Fig. 1 I have shown a field controlled by the cut-off relay and the armature by the supervisory relays, controlling contacts in series. As well-known in the case ofshunt-wound motors, the weakening of the field might produce a higher rate of registration, and in case of residual/ magnetism with current flowing in the armature, an injustice might be done the subscriber. In practice, therefore, it may be best to substitute the series control by the supervisory relays as shown in Fig. 1 for the parallel control shown in Fig. 2. The

' tive controlling magnets.

special meters M and M would still be separately controlled in order to give the proper readings.

All of the foregoing, and many other modifications, can be made without departing in any sense from the spirit of my invention. Moreover, while I have not described many details of the apparatus, preferring to leave such details to the individual designer, yet I intend all these details, according to the usual and accepted practic'e, to be read into this case.

It may be necessary to make the wheel m in Fig. 2, or the other parts therein shown,

of a special form to get the best results. I-

do not pretend in this specification to set forth all such details, but I contemplate in-' cluding all of them in my system, While limiting this description so as to impart the novel principles" involved, their means of embodiment, and the arrangement for attaining the best results. 1 In semi-automatic systems, in which cordcircuits are used, With double supervision the same as in straight manual syste1ns, the mode of application is unchanged; In fact, in. any,;systein' where there are two relays, one res'jo'nding to changes in the calling subscribers line and the other to changesin the called-subscribers line, my invention may obviously be practised without special change; a In fullautomatic systems, it is only necessary as above stated to have two distinc In .sem'i auto matic systems wherein the lines terminate in some sort of automatic apparatus for selecting an idle cord or connective circuit, this system is particularly desirable in the form shown in Fig. 2, although either scheme as herein developed can be applied without difficulty, and in a manner obvious to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described my invention and indicated the best method of practising the same, what I claim and desire toseeure by 'Letters Patent is 1. In a telephone system, subscribers lines and operators connective circuits with a register ng device associated with each connective circuit and comprising as its principal feature a motor, a register dev ce driven by said motor and means ointlcontrolled by a calling and the called scriber for running and separately for stopping said motor, substantially as describedf.

from the line, a number wheel associated with the line and adapted when operated to run a predetermined time only, controlling means for the register controlled by the supervisory relays, and means whereby said number wheel may be given control of a supervisory relay for a limited period in the operation of the cut-off, substantially as described.

'3. In a telephone system, subscribers lines and connective circuits therefor. means to supply current to the subscribers transmitters on said lines during conversation, and a motor register adapted to respond to said current flow and thereby to record the duration of connection.

4. In a telephone exchange system, subscribers lines, a central office registering device, a motor for driving the same, and means controlled by current in the subscribers lines for determining the actuation of said motor.

5. In a telephone exchange registering system, means controlled by subscribers for registering completed connections and the elapsed time thereof, together with means controlled from the exchange to determine the time rate or speed of registration, substantially as described.

6. In a telephone registering system, registering mcans adapted to operate continuously during the interconnection of lines, means controlled by the subscribers determining the operation thereof, and means controlled by an operator for determining thespeed thereof, substantially as :described.

7.111 a telephone exchange system, subscribers lines, means for interconnecting the same, a source of current supply for the lines, means for determining the flow of current therein during conversation, and registering means acting continuously to produce a record for each conversation proportionate to the amount of current flow.

8. In' a telephone system, a subscribers line, connective apparatus adapted to connect the same with other lines, and a register having two motor elements whose conjoint action is required in order to operate the register, together with means to control one of said elements in the use of the calling subscribers line and the other element in the use of the called subscribers line, sub- I stantially as described. $9. In a telephone exchange system, a central ofiice registering device comprising as its essential feature a driving motor, said Inotorbeing jointly controlled by a calling and a called subscriber over their respective lines for registering by its movement the duration of their connection, substantially as described.

10. In a telephone exchange system, a registering device comprising as its essential feature an electric motor having field and armature members, and indicating means controlled thereby, said motor being jointly controlled by calling and called subscriber through the separate energization of its field and armature elements, substantially as described.

11. In a telephone exchange'system, subscribers lines and connective circuits therefor, a registering device comprising a motor and a lapsed-time indicator, signal magnets in the connective circuits controlling the operation thereof, and connections from said signal magnets to said motor such that the latter will be controlled for registering during the use of the apparatus.

12. Ina telephone system, means for recording the time of connections com prising a lapsed-time indicator and a motor therefor, and means jointly controlled by current in the respective lines of connected subscribers for operating the same continuously during connection, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two Witnesses. Y

' I EDWARD E. CLEMENT. Witnesses:

RAYMOND F. BARNEs, JAMES H. MARR. 

